A Christmas Encounter
by SladeRavenFan
Summary: Oneshot. Raven feels so alone, walking along the empty street. But it isn't empty. She encounters someone she didn't think she would, someone who changes her day. Slade. Re-edited. Original post: 20/12/2011 (exactly last year)


_Edited version. Original post approximately one year ago (20/12/2011). Changes made due to the fact I was unhappy with certain aspects of this piece._

**Hello,**

**Back with a another Slade and Raven centric fic. Wrote this on a whim though, because of the Christmas spirit. Sorry if anyone's OOC.**

**I don't own anything. Seriously though, who on fanfiction owns any of the shows they write about?**

**Enjoy!**

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><p>The wind wasn't too persistent, so Raven found no real trouble in strolling the empty streets. Her cloak fluttered incessantly behind her, and she watched as the snow softly drifted onto it, melting upon contact.<p>

No immediate emotions came to her, still numb from the chilling cold that seeped into her soul. Everyone was at home, all cosy while watching some Christmas special on television.

Things were just so suffocating back at the tower. It was too much for Raven. All the unbridled emotion, thoughts and shouts, everything. It was giving her a headache. Honestly though, she was just thankful that they had let her escape alone, probably knowing she needed to cool off.

Yet... they all seemed so disappointed in her and her actions. It was Christmas after all, and they could afford to enjoy it, so why couldn't she?

But the sorceress was well aware that she was the strongest on the team, and that she had to control herself if the world's population were to stay alive. It wasn't her fault. The sheer amount of power couldn't be left to control itself, so someone had to do it. She wanted to protect them; make sure she didn't hurt them, even if it did turn out to be futile.

It wasn't like she wanted to be alone. She yearned to be in the presence of someone who wouldn't judge her, someone who understood her.

Nothing was ever easy.

Raven sighed. So much for Christmas spirit, she thought bitterly. Maybe this was how Scrooge had felt.

"Not enjoying your day?"

The voice was all too familiar. The low, deep and masculine tone, sliding out of the slits in his mask. Sometimes it manipulated, sometimes it taunted and sometimes it scared. It was Slade.

"No, not really." She was too tired to fight, so she left him be. After all, none of the villains wanted to start up trouble on Christmas. They celebrated it too. Not to mention it was an unspoken rule in Jump City; to lay off the crime for a day. But if they wanted to cause ruckus, the teen titans would blast them into the new year.

"And why is that?" he inquired, leisurely walking beside her. He kept his distance to avoid being hit, but remained close enough so that the conversation couldn't be lost.

"I'm just not," she snapped. Raven couldn't talk to this, this monster that had tried to end the world. She was going to be blunt and keep her answers short. Maybe it would end the chat.

Quickening her pace to reach a rusting wooden door, she stepped into a small, old looking cafe. Slade followed her in, narrowly missing the wreath swinging off of the moving door.

She glared at him, not holding back. "Why can't you just leave me alone? Don't you have something better to do than stalk your enemy?"

He didn't bat his eye, a sadistic smirk planted on his face.

"But Raven, what would be the fun in leaving? I've got to finish what I started. Besides, my dear, you're all alone. What's wrong in me being a good citizen and ensuring you have company?"

"Don't act as though you care. You're no good guy, Slade, you just want to get me angry," she scoffed. "And I'm your enemy, remember? I don't need anything you have to offer."

"Is that so?" A pause. "Maybe you don't need it, but you want it?" he tried, even gesturing to add emphasis.

She huffed and sat down at the table furthest from the door, hidden in the corner. It was covered in shadows, in darkness. She knew she felt alone, but sometimes loneliness was necessary, right?

Slade sat opposite her, and Raven sighed, channelling annoyance. A waitress walked up to them, trembling at the appearance of the villain.

"W-what'll you have?" she stuttered. Her head turned, watching both anxiously. What was a villain doing with a hero?

Raven mentally rolled her eyes, irritated that she had to deal with another person. She touched her arm, sensing the fear, and instantly the waitress felt relaxed by the hero. The dark, mysterious empath. This was the titan people knew least about. Amazed, the waitress decided working on Christmas day was certainly worth it.

"You have nothing to worry about," Raven reassured. "He won't do anything to harm anyone, and I'll make sure of it." The waitress nodded, sending a brief glance at Slade, who in response tipped his head mockingly.

Once she was completely calmed, the telepath ordered.

"I'll have a cup of herbal tea, thanks."

"I don't need anything," Slade said soon after, once she had written down Raven's order.

She figured that he didn't want anything because he'd have to take off his mask to have it. Then he'd have to reveal his identity, which she doubted he'd do. Least of all to his adversary.

While keeping careful vigilance on Slade, Raven picked up a dusty book from a shelf in the cafe, beginning to read it. The waitress hastily placed her tea down on the table, backtracking quickly away.

"The Great Gatsby?" The masked man half asked. "I never took you to read a romance novel. It's a good book, though Gatsby didn't seem too great."

Raven, annoyed that he had disturbed her, put her book down on the table so that she could face him. "You've read it?" She sceptically raised an eyebrow.

"Yes," he replied. "Reading classic literature seems to be a similarity between us, is it not?"

Slightly surprised, Raven answered, "I guess so." Her face hardened at her own civil response, as if remembering the situation. "But, Slade, I am nothing like you."

He wasn't shocked, he was unfazed. "That may be, Raven, but you must admit we both are alike. For example, we both had to serve your father."

Her eyes narrowed. "I didn't have a choice in the matter. You, you _chose_ to serve him."

Drinking her cup of tea as fast as she possibly could, she relaxed. Herbal tea worked to calm her, she realised. It was her favourite drink, but not nearly as good as the imported brand back in the tower. And now she had no excuse to stay in the cafe.

"Chose? No one defies Trigon, the incarnation of evil," Slade responded, oblivious to the musings of his companion. His own brow seemed to have risen, unseen by everyone.

Raven shook her head.

"You always have a choice. You could've defied him. Admit it, Slade, you were scared when you saw him."

"How very astute of you," he sarcastically remarked, chuckling dryly. "You haven't been very fair, Raven. I made a deal with Trigon, and I quite simply had to keep up my end of the bargain. Still, it is quite amusing his own offspring banished him from Earth."

The half demon took on a face of disgust and disbelief for a brief second, before it vanished.

"How do you know he's not dead?"

"Well, not including the fact that capes don't murder, Trigon the Terrible can't be killed. Using the light shrouded in the darkness of you, Raven, you repelled him. He literally is evil, and as long as evil exists, so does he," Slade explained, the obvious logic making her feel stupid for asking in the first place.

"I know that," she said, feigning indifference. "I'm his daughter. Now, not that this conversation hasn't been nice, I'll need to be getting back now."

Standing up, Slade left a five dollar bill, not bothering to request change. Raven groaned. He was not going to pay for her. She shoved it back into his hand, and leaving no chance for an argument, smacked down her own five dollars. The door creaked as she fled, relishing in the small victory against him.

Slowing down once outside, it seemed impossible to be unhappy. The snow was heavy, but caused no trouble. The whole city was white. It was dark, but Christmas lights set a blissful glow across the ground. The decorations were sparse, but they didn't lack in beauty.

She heard footsteps behind her, a sudden idea sparking. Picking up a snowball, she threw it. It hit his mask, earning a smug, satisfied smile from the Titan.

"Don't follow me."

She turned around - her mistake, as Slade hit her in the back with a snowball. Raven made another and hurled it at his chest. She had started this, after all.

This snowball fight between hero and villain continued till they both were thoroughly soaked. They stopped to catch their breath, snickering at one another.

Minutes later a calm had been set between them. Raven casually looked towards Titans Tower, glistening from the water's reflection. She couldn't imagine whether they were having fun without her, or awaiting the moment she returned.

"The Titans are good friends," Slade stated abruptly. The girl turned to meet his eye. "You feel lonely, don't you, but they'll be there when you need them. Appreciate them while you have them. Don't wallow in your own pity, Raven. That's a fool's action."

"Why the sudden wisdom?"

There was a moment of hesitation until he had seemingly made his mind up. "I'm human too," he started. "I used to have people I loved, and my only regret is not spending more time with them. It's not unbelievable for me to help another human. And it's Christmas now; so savour every moment with them."

He began to walk away.

"Thanks for the advice and for the company," she called to the man. "It was okay." She meant it. Definitely not better than the Titans' companionship, but it was refreshingly new.

Slade tilted his head to acknowledge her.

"Perhaps another day."

It had been... pleasant. He wouldn't mind her presence again, even if they were battling it out.

Raven strode on for a little to mull over his words, not turning back because she knew that Slade would already be gone once she did.

Teleporting, she arrived in her bathroom. She took a hot shower and changed, before making her way down to the main room.

Two hours later, after generous helpings of eggnog and christmas pudding, most of the Titans had collapsed on the sofa, fast asleep.

Raven herself lay awake, smiling at the sight of her peaceful friends, her accepting family. It was nice to finally know she belonged.

"Merry Christmas, guys," she murmured, beginning to drift off. "Have a happy new year, too..."

Hopefully everyone would.

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><p><strong>Thanks for everything!<strong>

**And have a Merry Christmas, and a Happy New Year! Yeah, a year later and I still love your twenty reviews and dislike this story. It's honestly still too fluffy and out of character, but I'll be re-editing it next year, most likely.**

**Have a great christmas, and honestly, appreciate everyone while you can, even if they can be as annoying as ever.**

**And I'll be sure to be shooting more updates out soon; I just haven't been motivated til now...**

**SladeRavenFan**


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